TUESDAY, JULY , 194, THE MICHIGAN DAILY T ------ - ----. ------- - -- -- ----- ------------ ------- -------- ----- Spoutwis NEWS+VIEWS+f " MMINT By BILE MULJL NDORE, Daily Sports Editor E DETECTED no tang of autumn in the air yesterday afternoon as Michigan's 1945 football campaign was duly inaugurated, but the fact remains that the pigskin parade is here to stay for another year. For the next five months King Football will occupy the center of the collegiate athletics stage, even though in other fields the summer sports campaigns have just gotten well underway. At this stage of the game it would be rather risky for anyj columnist to go out on a limb and discuss the prospects of any major3 eleven in anything but the most general terms. We well remember last year when the experts were almost universally agreed that Michigan would be hard put to stay above the .500 mark over the ten-game route.- What happened after the season started is history. Coach H. O. (Fritz) Crisler again came up with a top-flight team which won eight of ten contests and lost the Conference championship by the proverbial eyelash. Only a heartbreaking 18-14 defeat by Ohio State in the final' game of the season prevented Michigan's retention of the Big Ten bauble. AGAIN this year the experts are predicting dire things for Michigan's football fortunes. And, on the face of it, they might well do so. The Wolverines are faced with another murderous ten-game card which includes, in addition to six Big Ten tilts, clashes with Army, Navy, Great Lakes, and Michigan State. Army and Navy ranked one-two in the nation last fall, and they are both supposedly as strong or stronger again this year. Great Lakes is always tough, and Michigan State seems definitely back on the right road to football glory. All four games shape up as stern tests, to say the least. In the Conference, Michigan will meet Indiana, Northwestern, Illinois, Minnesota, Purdue, and Ohio State, and there is not a breather in the lot. Illinois shapes up as perhaps the most formidable outfit in the Mid-West. Minnesota, with Bernie Bierman back at the helm, cannot be regarded lightly, and Ohio State is never a soft touch. The others may not be quite as strong, but it can be taken for granted that any Conference school will field a better than average team. So, on paper, the outlook isn't one to inspire unlimited confidence. But we can't help remembering other years, and other teams which rose to the heights Saturday after Saturday to mow down the opposition. And we would almost be willing to bet that Michigan will do more than all right again this season. FOR ONE THING, the Wolverines will have the best coaching in the country. Crisler is universally recognized as one of the best, if not the best, in the business, and his able group of aides provides a balance that puts the Michigan staff almost in a class by itself. For another thing, there is that something called tradition and spirit, which-intangible as it is-is, in our opinion, a mighty import- ant asset to any football team. Michigan has a tradition for hard, clean, sound football, and, what is more, for winning football. And the spirit to go with that tradition is also there. Then, of course, there are the unknown factors. No one can say, for (instance, just what the current crop of freshmen will bring forth in the way of talent. Add to that the possibilities inherent in Navy transfers, breaks (both good and bad), injuries (to Michigan gridders and to those at other schools), and a host of other equally intangible factors. Right now, it all doesn't total up to very much, but it seems to us that it is a little early to be selling the Michigan football team short. BUY WAR BONDS,&STAMPSI Gridders Bolstered By Eight Lettermen h- I III tll In jury May Keep Lazetich on. Shelf tContinued from Page 1) Warren Bentz; and lineman John Weyers and Cecil Freihofer, George Babe, George Hutter. Ward Powers, and Frank Nakamura are the four members of last fall's junior varsity eleven who will be trying to move up to the regular squad. More Expected weeks until Aug. 10, when the squad will take a two-week layoff before re- suming Aug. 27 to put on the finish- ing touches for the curtain-raiser. Practice is scheduled for five days a week, beginning at 3:30 p. m. The team will not work out July 4. The Wolverines face one of the toughest schedules in Michigan hi- story in their hid to regain the West- ern Conference championship lost last year to Ohio State in the final game of the season. The 10-game card includes tilts with Army and Navy. Great Lakes. and Mic~higan H. 0. (FRITZ) CRISLER starting his eighth season asj head coach of Michigan football? teamis. . It ColegeCa reer, joins ~odgei's Don Lund, Michigan's seventh nine letter man, was signed by the Brook- lyn Dodger baseball team last week, just a few days after graduating from the University. Lund, a physical education major, will be used primarily as a pinch hit- ter, according to a recent announce- ment by Dodger authorities. He had also received other offers from major league clubs, including a contract from the Washington Senators. A varsity man on the baseball squad for the past three seasons, Lund captained all three sports in which he participated at Michigan. He was co-captain of the football eleven after the departure of Bob Wiese in mid-season last year, and also captained the basketball quintet this year.gHe was elected captaintof 6his spring's baseball squad at the dose of the '44 season. ±he former Detroit high school star played in the outfield throughout his college baseball career. ATTENTION !!! All students, .both men and women, wishing Ao try out for the Daily sports staff are asked to come up to the Daily sports desk at the Student Publications Build- ing anytime between 3 p. in. and 5 p. im. today. Practical experience in writing, newspaper desk work, and page makeup are offered. No previous newspaper experience is required. First semester fresh- men are not eligible to work on the Daily, and all tryouts must have eligibility cards. Prospects are that several more State, as well as six Big Ten contests. men will report Lo Head Coach H. O. Following the Sept. 15 opener, the (Fritz) Crisler before drills proceed; Wolverines will be in action every very far. One possibility is that Ray Saturday until Nov. 24 with the ex- (Red) Louthen. star pitcher on the ception of the Oct. 20 date which will Wolverine baseball team during the remain open. past spring, may try out for a back- Michigan last won a Conference field berth. Louthen formerly play- championship in 1943, winning all ed football for Western Michigan. of its Big Ten games and losing only Coach Crisler was highly pleased to Notre Dame outside the Big Ten. with the large turnout but promised The 1943 title was Crisler's first as a the assembled candidates nothing Wolverine coach, although his teams but hard work and plenty of it in have been consistently in the run- preparation for the season's opener, ning. Crisler came to Michigan in Sept. 15, against Great Lakes. The 1938. squad will report in uniform today and intensive drilling is slated to begin immediately. Drills Run Six Weeks siTheicurret suinmer pactice ses- sion is scheduled to run for six Major League Standings AMERICAN LEAGUE Sept. 15-Great Lakes here Sept. 22-Indiana, here Sept. 29-Mich. State, here Oct. 6-N'western, there Oct. 13-Army, at N. Y. Oct. Oct. 20-Open date 27-Illinois, there TEAMS W Detroit ...........39 New York ........37 Chicago..........35 Boston...........3 Washington.. .32 St. Louis ........ 29, Cleveland ........27 Philadelphia ......20 L 24 28 31 30 30 32 34 42 Pet. .619 .569 .534 .524 .516 .475 .443 .323 GB 3% 5 6 6' 2 9 11 181 Nov. 3-Minnesota, here Nov. 10-Navy, there NoV. 17-Purdue, here Nov. 24-Ohio StaIe, here YESTERDAY'S RESULTS Chicago 11-1, New York 6-6. St. Louis 7-3, Boston 1-2. Washington at Cleveland, rain. Only games scheduled. NATIONAL LEAGUE. TEAMS Brooklyn ... St. Louis .... New York . . Ch cago ... Pittsburgh . Boston ..... Cincinnati . . Philadelphia W 41 .36; 37 .. .. 33 .34, .32. .28, ... .19 4 11 25 29 31 28 31 31 33 52 Pet. GB .621 .., .554 4?/ .544 5 .541 5% .523 6%/ .508 712 .459 10z!, .268 24% Crisler, Muu Made Grid Group Officials Two members of the University of Michigan football coaching staff have been appointed to official positions in the American Football Coaches Asso- ciation for 1945. Coach H. O. (Fritz) Crisler has been named to membership on the organization's forum committee while Clarence Mun, line coach, has been appointed official representative for the. Fifth district comprising the states of Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Wis- consin, Minnesota and Michigan. R 0 YESTERDAY'8 RESULTS St. Louis at New York, rain. Only game Scheduled. BUY WAR BONDS - INVEST IN VICTORY 1 ,., . . 7i f AWW AT m I E.w or USE D SUPPLS end TAT I O ERY A A90116 A Asibb Ad I I-o- - - - - L - AMNNOW MW3 I I